I wanted to have a principle of incoherence... - Neel Mukherjee
SPOILER ALERT! - To the guest reader, the following will reveal all sorts of plot details. If you wish to remain blissfully ignorant, leave now.
Artie 7.75
Picked this because he wanted to learn what has become of the caste system over the last 40 years. It was an emotionally difficult read. This was about tough people, exposed and powerless. Mukheajee was unafraid to write their raw stories. Thought the title spectacular but was disappointed at first, what with no plot or narrative to speak of. We work, so we have choices. When you have no work you have no choices. It was painful to read about Lakshman and Raju the bear. Mukheajee wrote this to show how tough it is to be a human being when you have as few choices as Lakshman did. Artie eventually came to see the stories as ones of the human spirit polishing hard situations. The book made him think and he won't forget it.
Amy 4
Hated the first story though she thought the author did a good job conveying the man's awkward feelings about returning to India. Sorry, Amy. That's about all I can make out from my notes.
Maggie 6.5
This was not a novel so much as a collection of stories with tenuous connections. Maggie had many questions. Which brother had the fox-like face they were warned about? What was the timeline of the book? Chronological? Was Renu's nephew the one who came back and lost his son? Maggie loves Indian food but found the second chapter bogged down by it. Her heart broke for Lakshman when he lost his money in Renju's collar. People treated Milly well, even the family that kept her in their apartment. The last chapter brought the whole thing full circle but she had difficulty connecting all the stories. He did a good job describing poverty and how sons are favored over daughters. Began to enjoy the book after the bear story.
Letitia 7
Thought the writing was powerful and gritty but the story was a downer and often disturbing so she probably wouldn't recommend. Is pretty sure that the guy who fell off the building in the first chapter is the same guy who left a village later in the story to go work in Mumbai. Each chapter shows the state of the character's freedom. The chapter with the bear is about the most painful thing she's read. You could feel Lakshman's anger. This didn't paint India in the best light whereas A Fine Balance has hope. Wondered if the young man in the second chapter was based upon the author's life. Doesn't feel like visiting India after reading this.
Becky 5
Felt like a collection of short stories more than a novel. She found it an easy read although the first chapter left her confused. Who was the father of the boy in the car? Milly was the most fleshed out character in the book, but why was her brother's hand chopped off? We never find out. Renu's story was sparse. Why did she hate Milly? We never find out. Stories set in India maker her nervous and uncomfortable. She has less of a desire of going there. The guy in the second chapter couldn't deal with returning to it. The stories were too vague and left too many unanswered questions.
Sandy 5 - 4.5
Short listed for the Man Booker Prize? How many books did they have to choose from? Finds that all stories set in India after A Fine Balance are a letdown. Understands that food is very important, but what was the point? Characters were undeveloped. Sandy went to Tijuana as a kid and was haunted by the experience of abject poverty. There is no good picture of India. The first story she gives a three. She liked his writing, but found it a bit too sci-fi/fantasy flavored and inconsistent with the other stories. Had to skim the bear story which was brutal and pounded you over the head with sadness and poverty. Milly and Soni had to choose either servitude or rebellion to survive. Sandy would have chosen rebellion with Soni. When she tallied her ratings for all five stories it came to a three and a half.
Miles 2.5
All stories focused on the disadvantaged. There were no good stories. The writing was dense, frenetic, chaotic, and disjointed giving an overall feeling of discomfort. Won't remember any of the characters except Raju the bear. Wondered what it means when you have more empathy for animals than people. Liked the story of when the guy visited his cook's family. Wouldn't recommend, but learned a lot of stuff.
Pat 4 - 4.5
First chapter's creepy vibe had me hooked when the kid inexplicably dies. What a set up! I was excited to read chapter two. Overbearing mother reminds offspring of the old ways trope. Indecipherable food nuances and an unexplained rivalry between the cook and maid. Who's connected to the dead kid? All confusing, but I'm patient because I trust the author will reveal. Bear chapter was easy because it had a beginning, middle, and end; difficult for all the obvious reasons. Here I abandoned hope finding out why the kid died and realized I would have to sort through all the food and misery in India to find out how the chapters connected. No thanks. Previous reads set in India had an exotic allure that made me think I'd like to visit despite vivid descriptions of filth and human suffering. Not anymore. Gave half a point when I considered the book itself was possibly intended as a metaphor for India.
K'Lynn 8
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